Thankful for Recovery: Staying Sober Through Thanksgiving

There is a great deal of history involved with Thanksgiving. For many of us, Thanksgiving is a time of the year when we give thanks for everything that we have and to celebrate with friends and family that we may rarely see. However, for those of us who have struggled with addiction to alcohol, Thanksgiving can be a tricky holiday to navigate.

First and foremost, be thankful for your recovery journey as it’s not easy. You’ve come a long way, and now you may be worried about a relapse during the holidays. Luckily, there are various tips that we can use in order to remain sober this Thanksgiving.

The Difficulties Of Sobriety Through Thanksgiving                 

Like many other holidays, Thanksgiving is often celebrated with alcohol, which can certainly become problematic for those of us who have struggled with an alcohol use disorder. Therefore, it’s important to know some common triggers:

• Smell of alcohol 
• Being around those who drink, knowing you shouldn’t
• Stress, anger, envy, sadness

Stress often leads to abuse in the first place, and we may feel angry at our past decisions. We may also feel envy or sadness when coming to the realization that everyone around us is drinking and we know that we can if we want to overcome our alcohol dependency.

It could be difficult to face those we love, as we feel shame about our alcohol abuse. Alcohol is readily available, and sometimes even the smell of it will trigger a relapse.

How To Stay Sober

Identifying our triggers and avoiding high-risk situations, will severely reduce the chance of relapse. However, if you’re in the early stages of your addiction treatment, this could seem like an impossible task. If that’s the case, have a “plan B” or an escape plan in place.

Speaking with the host of Thanksgiving about our sobriety journey is oftentimes beneficial in that they can make other members of the gathering aware of our sobriety, thus making us feel more comfortable in an otherwise awkward situation. There will inevitably be questions about our alcohol detox, so if we come prepared to answer them, this will reduce our anxiety.  

We may feel like the “black sheep” at Thanksgiving and an easy way to be part of the flock is to BYOB (Bring Your Own Beverage). Always have a non-alcoholic beverage in hand, so people will be less likely to give you an alcoholic one. Bringing a sober buddy (perhaps one we’ve befriended during our alcohol addiction treatment) will make us feel less alone. 

Turkey. Gravy. Mashed potatoes. There is a lot of movement in the kitchen preparing the Thanksgiving meal, so be a part of that movement. Being helpful serves as a great distraction and it can improve our self-worth, which may be damaged due to substance abuse.

Stress is a major contributing factor in relapse, and the holidays, particularly Thanksgiving, can be a very stressful event. Whether it’s being around alcohol or seeing relatives that we may not be fond of, it’s crucial that we limit our stress levels. One way this can be done is to go outside or go for a walk. Getting a breath of fresh air and admiring nature in the autumn season is a great way for us to realize why we wanted to break free from alcoholism in the first place.

While some may think that alcohol is needed to have fun, this is certainly not the case. Just being in the company of our friends and loved ones is enough. The term “Friendsgiving” has become popular in recent years. This entails inviting close friends rather than a traditional gathering. We can invite those that are supportive of our sobriety, and everyone can bring a dish, which eliminates the need to cook.